DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant The Seventh National Conference on Quality Health Care for Culturally Diverse Populations, with its thematic focus on improving health care for culturally diverse populations: a new place on the national health agenda, will convene October 18-21, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. Over the past six conferences, 3,400 attendees from the US and abroad have participated in more than 300 conference sessions delivered by over 1,075 speakers. The objective of the 2010 conference is to bring together leading voices engaged in the major changes occurring in policy, standards, and accreditation with health care professionals at the local, state and national levels committed to improving cultural competence, reducing language barriers, and eliminating disparities. The seventh in this biennial conference series will continue to engage providers, communities, and policymakers to confront the challenges of addressing the health care needs of diverse populations by highlighting major policy initiatives and their implications for improving care for diverse patients and communities, while continuing to feature sessions on tested and emerging strategies that will appeal to "seasoned" veterans and others interested in the practical application of findings and initiatives. Conference themes include : the implications of health care reform for diverse populations;how to implement new standards on culturally and linguistically appropriate services from The Joint Commission and the National Committee for Quality Assurance;how health care organizations can respond to health IT and demographic data collection recommendations from the Institute of Medicine and federal health agencies;and integrating consumer, patient, family, and community perspectives into these initiatives, and the demand for increased accountability, effectiveness, and transparency. As in previous years, we anticipate 650 attendees who will participate in over 50 conference sessions featuring "cutting edge" programs, policies, initiatives, and research, through innovative and varied formats for presentation and discussion, while allowing participants numerous opportunities to reconnect with colleagues and network with other national and international professionals over the three- and-a-half-day event. The focus of this year's conference, as in previous years, reflects the growing acknowledgement that collaborative engagement in conducting investigations, developing programs, and advancing initiatives at the national and state levels, is critical to developing new and innovative strategies to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in health care. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The Seventh National Conference on Quality Health Care for Culturally Diverse Populations, with its thematic focus on improving health care for culturally diverse populations: a new place on the national health agenda will be held October 18-21, 2010 in Baltimore, MD. With the aim of reducing persistent health disparities and improving quality and access, integrating culturally and linguistically appropriate services into health care has figured prominently on the health policy agendas of the US Congress, The Joint Commission, the National Committee for Quality Assurance, the National Quality Forum, and the Institute of Medicine. The conference will provide a venue to discuss the implications of these initiatives and others, in the context of the tenth anniversary of the CLAS Standards.